Lyon &
the French Alps
France's gastronomic capital and its most dramatic mountain terrain — two very different bets, both underrated by Americans chasing Paris or the Riviera.
Lyon — arguably the most French of French cities
Arguably the most French of French cities, Lyon is quintessential. Close your eyes and picture a French bistro with a zinc counter, mirrored walls, and black-and-white tile floors — and you're thinking of a Lyonnais bistro. Lyon is the gastronomic capital of France, spoiled for choice with everything from Michelin-starred white tablecloth restaurants to the city's famous working-class bouchons, where you can eat elbow-to-elbow — and well — for practically the cost of a lunch run at Chipotle.
The city is anchored at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône rivers and is easily navigable. The Presqu'île (peninsula) is Lyon's beating heart, full of breathtaking fountains, buzzing shopping streets, and magnificent public squares. On the hilly banks of the Saône, funiculars ferry you up to charming neighborhoods graced with views of the city all the way to Mont Blanc. This is France's second city, and while it isn't Paris, it does offer a density of big-hitting boutiques and world-class restaurants that you simply won't find elsewhere in France outside the capital.
Lyon is ringed with enviable neighbors. Just a half hour to the north, Beaujolais — with Burgundy just beyond. Just a half hour to the south, the northern reaches and crowning jewels of the Côtes-du-Rhône wine country: Côte-Rôtie and Saint-Joseph. To the west, the craggy hills of the Ardèche and its prehistoric wonders. And to the east, reason alone for basing yourself in Lyon if you're a fan of winter sports — the best and highest ski resorts of the Alps within a one- to two-hour drive. Paris is two hours north by TGV; Marseille and the Med are ninety minutes south by train. Lyon is the heart of France in nearly every sense of the term.
What Lyon won't tell you about itself
But while other French cities have adopted American-style conveniences, Lyon remains steadfastly traditional — which means Sundays are moribund. The Lyonnais will remind you you're meant to be at home having Sunday lunch with your family, and they might not be wrong. And while Lyon gets some sun in the winter, it isn't Marseille: gray, drizzly days can be the norm, and the city can bake in a summer canicule. You eat and drink very well in Lyon, but keep in mind that Lyonnais food is not for amateurs. Expect heavy sauces, offal, and a lot of cream.
What you'll actually pay
Housing in the Presqu'île averages around €5,100–5,500/m² to purchase, with two-bedroom rentals running roughly €1,100–1,200/month — a bargain for those with Paris or Provence on their mind, but not a remarkable value.
The French Alps — if you lean more Colorado than California
If you lean more Colorado than California, more Wyoming than Washington, D.C. — if you're looking for a place to land that offers rugged outdoor adventure at every turn — it's hard to picture a more iconic setting than the French Alps.
No real cities here, and the Alps aren't exactly easy to get to. But you're not moving to the Alps so you can jet over to La Tour d'Argent by TGV for lunch. You're moving to the Alps because the mountains are calling. And what mountains. The French Alps are home to some of the best skiing in the world, at an almost unimaginable scale — but summer might be the Alps' secret weapon. Even when Paris is baking in a heat wave, alpine valleys stay green, fresh, and cool, making daily hikes not just a possibility but an imperative. Regional cuisine is hearty and deeply cheese-focused. But there is no cheese better than French cheese.
Most impressively, unlike in the Rockies, housing prices aren't especially wild — at least not by alpine standards. A ski-in, ski-out chalet in a top-tier resort will be flatly unaffordable. But chalets that require a short drive to the lifts — yet still let you hike out your front door — are genuine bargains compared to similar real estate in North America. And unlike the seaside resorts of the Mediterranean, the ski towns of the Alps have two distinct and wonderful seasons: a snowy, buzzy winter with the promise of lively après after a day on the slopes, and a temperate, verdant summer where outdoor dining on a mountaintop is par for the course.
Three towns worth taking seriously
For Aspen-meets-Paris ambience, look to Megève — indeed costly, but nowhere approaching Aspen prices. More importantly, nearby villages within a fifteen-minute drive are very doable, and they still let you hike out your front door. Chamonix is less precious than Megève and considerably more dramatic, perched at the foot of Mont Blanc — it also functions better as a real town for people across a range of budgets, with a genuine year-round community rather than a purely seasonal one. Annecy sits a bit further from the slopes but is a magnificent medieval city in its own right, at the foot of a stunning mountain lake and full of chalets with lake views, pools, and an abundance of the good life. Both Chamonix and Annecy are places where money flows freely — but value can be found, especially if you're willing to look a short drive from the center.
What the Alps won't tell you about themselves
A note on the less glamorous side: some Alpine cities are more depressing than charming. Despite its Olympic pedigree, Albertville feels industrial. So does Grenoble. Courchevel and Val d'Isère are spectacular winter resorts but not proper towns — if you have the millions for a seasonal perch there, all the better, but these are not places to build a year-round French life.
Alpine pricing — what to expect
The Alps aren't for everyone. But if you're drawn to the mountains and don't mind putting some kilometers on your car, they could be exactly the right setting. We'd recommend anchoring yourself in Chamonix, Annecy, or Megève — all three offer a lively, scenic daily life with easy access to the slopes and, critically, easy access to Geneva Airport: roughly an hour and fifteen minutes from Megève and Chamonix, and forty-five minutes from Annecy.
We can help you think through neighborhoods, timing, what to rent vs. buy, and how to build a shortlist worth visiting in person.
